The present invention relates to minerals in bioavailable form and to methods for the administration thereof to target cells.
Minerals such as zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and so forth are involved in certain enzymes and are essential for maintenance of life in man, animals and plants. In some instances, vitamins facilitate the incorporation of the mineral into the enzyme such that enzyme activity is inhibited by a shortage in the mineral or in the vitamin. For example, zinc is involved in the synthesis of DNA by the zinc-containing enzyme DNA polymerase. The vitamin niacin facilitates incorporation of zinc into the peptide subunits of the DNA polymerase enzyme. If either niacin or zinc is deficient in the body, DNA polymerase activity of the tissues may be reduced and the result in both cases is lack of growth.
The principles of drug therapy apply to mineral therapy wherein the goal is to get the appropriate drug into the target tissue in the correct concentration for the sufficient length of time to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. If the concentration of the drug is too low, therapy will be ineffective and if the concentration is too high, toxicity may result.
Because metals are highly charged molecules, many minerals are not absorbed well and do not pass into cells easily even if available in the serum. For example, the prostate is the organ of man that is richest in zinc, and, as substantiated by the latest research, zinc concentration in seminal plasma serves as an indicator for prostate function. Oral administration of a zinc supplement, such as zinc sulfate, zinc chloride or zinc acetate, increases the zinc concentration in the serum but does not consistently increase the zinc concentration in the seminal plasma and improve prostate function.
In addition to difficulties in being absorbed, some minerals are also unpleasant to take. For example, zinc supplements taken orally can produce nausea, vomiting and diarrhea and zinc compounds applied topically are astringent and can cause irritation. Zinc oxide, on the other hand, is neutral and can be applied topically but is not water soluble and is not absorbed into the tissue. The acidity of water soluble zinc salts such as zinc acetate, zinc chloride and zinc sulfate cannot be neutralized with sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide or the like. With sodium bicarbonate, it takes so much of the base, i. e. a molar ratio of 5 to 1, to reach pH 7 that the compound has an elevated sodium content and with sodium hydroxide the neutralized mixture readily precipitates on standing.
In view of the above, there is a need for minerals in bioavailable form which are readily absorbed into the serum whether taken orally, applied topically or injected into the body and which pass readily into the target cells and for suitable methods for the administration thereof. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises the products and methods hereinafter described and equivalents thereof, the scope of the invention being indicated in the subjoined claims.